APPLE AND NETFLIX TO SIMULCAST CANADIAN GRAND PRIX IN US

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• F1 debuts on Apple this year in deal worth reported US$150m per season

• This year’s Canadian Grand Prix is on the same day as Indianapolis 500

Apple has agreed a deal with rival streaming giant Netflix that will see the Canadian Grand Prix aired on both platforms for the US audience.

The collaboration will also see Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries made available to Apple TV subscribers in the US. This is the first time the two streaming giants have collaborated on an offering like this as Netflix looks to expand its live sports programming capabilities. 

In fact, Netflix credited its live sports events with driving “disproportionate excitement and signups” in the fourth quarter of 2025, as the streamer’s global subscriber base passed 325 million.

This year, Formula One has a new broadcast home in the US thanks to a new deal with Apple worth a reported US$150 million per season. Formula One leaves behind a successful media rights partnership with ESPN which averaged a record 1.32 million viewers in its final year.

The cross-promotion of the sport between both Apple and Netflix provides a great marketing platform for Formula One to reach more viewers, which will be key in the short term as the sport loses its linear route to market.

The decision to choose the Canadian Grand Prix for this experiment is also interesting as this year’s race takes place on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. IndyCar’s flagship race starts around three hours earlier, but any rain delays could see the two races clash.

- CIAN BRITTLE

APPLE AGREES 5-YEAR DEAL TO BE BROADCASTER OF F1 IN U S.

Formula 1 has announced a five-year partnership with Apple to become the sport's exclusive U.S. broadcast partner from 2026.

Formula 1 is announcing an exciting and innovative five-year partnership with Apple to become the sport's exclusive U.S. broadcast partner from 2026. The new partnership brings together two global brands with a shared passion for innovation, excellence, and entertainment. The new partnership brings together two global brands with a shared passion for innovation, excellence, and entertainment.

The news follows the hugely successful F1® The Movie, the Apple Original Film, which was released internationally in cinemas and IMAX venues in June and will make its global streaming debut on Apple TV on Friday 12 December 2025. Apple invested significantly in the project and worked with the Formula 1 community in an unprecedented collaboration over three years to deliver a truly authentic and immersive racing movie for new and established F1 fans. Critically acclaimed worldwide, F1® The Movie has grossed nearly $630 million globally to date, making it the most successful sports movie in history.

Importantly, as demonstrated by F1® The Movie, Apple's ability to reach a diverse range of consumers across its powerful ecosystem presents a groundbreaking opportunity to engage new fans. The 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey found that 47% of new U.S. Formula 1 fans, who have been following the sport for five years or less, are aged 18-24 and over half are female, underlining the partnership's huge potential to expand the sport's younger and more diverse audience.

In addition to showing Formula 1 on Apple TV, Apple will amplify the sport across Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports, and Apple Fitness+.

This new broadcast agreement will see Apple TV host all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix. Select races, and all practice sessions throughout the season will also be available to watch for free in the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium, F1's own premier content offering, will continue to be available in the U.S. via an Apple TV subscription only and will be free for those who subscribe.

Additional information, including production and product details, and all the ways fans will be able to enjoy F1 content across their favourite Apple products and services, will be announced in the coming months.

"This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple that will ensure we can continue to maximise our growth potential in the U.S. with the right content and innovative distribution channels," said Stefano Domenicali. "We are no strangers to each other, having spent the past three years working together to create F1® The Movie, which has already proven to be a huge hit around the world.

"We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked. I want to thank Tim Cook, Eddy Cue, and the entire Apple team for their vision, enthusiasm and passionate approach to delivering this partnership, and we are looking forward to the next five years together."

"We're thrilled to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. front row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet," added Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services. "2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1 from new teams to new regulations and cars with the best drivers in the world, and we look forward to delivering premium and innovative fan-first coverage to our customers in a way that only Apple can."

- Pitpass.com

RONALDO EARNS $250M, NAMED FORBES HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETE

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 42 goals in 41 games in all competitions for Al Nassr this season. Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images

 Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career, and Spanish golfer Jon Rahm moved up to second after his sensational switch to Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

Ronaldo became the world's highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, and Forbes said the 39-year-old's estimated total earnings were in the region of $260 million, an all-time high for a footballer.

His on-field earnings amounted to $200m, and his off-field earnings were $60m thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.

Ronaldo said on Wednesday that he intends to continue his football career "at a high level" despite nearly entering his 40s.

Two-time major winner Rahm joined LIV Golf in December in a big-money move that sent shock waves through the sport after media reports said the world No. 5 would be paid at least $300m.

Apart from that guarantee, Rahm has earned $218m and joins Ronaldo as the only two athletes to earn over $200m.

Third on the list is record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, who made a lucrative switch to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, helping him earn $135m.

The 36-year-old has earned $65m in on-field earnings but $70m off it thanks to deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is fourth at $128.2m, and although the 39-year-old American, the first NBA player to score 40,000 career points, is nearing the end of his career, he is set to have one last crack at the Olympics.

Fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111m) of the Milwaukee Bucks rounds out the top five, and France captain Kylian Mbappé has dropped down to sixth ($110m).

Mbappé announced he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain after seven years in the French capital, where he became the club's leading career scorer, and the 25-year-old is expected to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the 2024-25 season.

Former PSG star Neymar, who also moved to the Saudi Pro League, joining Al Hilal, is seventh ($108m) despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.

French striker Karim Benzema, who also moved to Saudi Arabia, is eighth ($106m) on the list, followed by Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry ($102m).

Lamar Jackson is the only NFL player on the list, in 10th place ($100.5m), thanks to the signing bonus that was negotiated into his new Baltimore Ravens contract last year.

- Reuters 

INTER MIAMI MESSI TOPS MLS HIGHEST-PAID LIST AT $20.4M

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 Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi is Major League Soccer's highest-paid player with a total guaranteed compensation of $20.45 million, according to data released by the MLS Players Association.

The amount reflects just the playing portion of Messi's compensation, with the Argentine also set to benefit from other revenue streams such as his endorsement deal with Adidas and a revenue-sharing agreement with league broadcast partner Apple.

According to Sportico, Messi stands to earn up to $150 million over the life of the 2½-year contract he signed with Miami and MLS last year.

Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne ranked second with a guaranteed compensation of $15.44 million, followed by Messi's Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets at $8.77 million.

Chicago Fire forward Xherdan Shaqiri, the league's top earner at this time a year ago, is in fourth position at $8.15 million followed by Austin FC forward Sebastián Driussi at $6.72 million.

The salary numbers from the MLSPA are as of April 25, 2024.

The extent of Miami's spending spree is borne out when one looks at the total guaranteed compensation per team.

The Herons checked in at a staggering $41.68 million, which is not only a league record, but more than double the amount of all but three other teams.

Toronto's outlay is $31.41 million, followed by Chicago at $25.13 million, Nashville SC at $21.4 million and FC Cincinnati -- last year's Supporters' Shield winners -- at $18.71 million.

Reigning MLS Cup holders the Columbus Crew rank 21st with a payroll of $15.19 million, while St. Louis City ($11.79 million) and CF Montréal ($12.05 million) have the lowest payrolls.

The average guaranteed compensation for the entire player pool is $594,390, up 12.4% from the spring, 2023 mark of $528,984.

In a sign of how top-heavy the league's salaries have become, the median salary rose just 4.8% from $294,500 this time a year ago to $308,750 now. All told, 115 players have a guaranteed compensation of at least $1 million.

MLS and the MLSPA are in the fourth year of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was agreed upon in February 2021. The current CBA runs through the end of the 2027 season.

Here is the total guaranteed compensation per team:

1. Inter Miami - $41.68 million

2. Toronto FC - $31.41 million

3. Chicago Fire - $25.13 million

4. Nashville SC - $21.4 million

5. FC Cincinnati - $18.71 million

6. Austin FC - $18.41 million

7. New England Revolution - $18.32 million

8. LA Galaxy - $17.93 million

9. New York Red Bulls - $17.11 million

10. Houston Dynamo - $16.77 million

11. Atlanta United - $16.66 million

12. Seattle Sounders - $16.58 million

13. New York City FC - $16.54 million

14. Colorado Rapids - $16.33 million

15. FC Dallas - $16.23 million

16. D.C. United - $16.17 million

17. LAFC - $15.9 million

18. Sporting Kansas City - $15.87 million

19. Portland Timbers - $15.37 million

20. Vancouver Whitecaps - $15.2 million

21. Columbus Crew - $15.19 million

22. Orlando City - $15.07 million

23. Minnesota United - $14.91 million

24. Philadelphia Union - $14.82 million

25. Charlotte FC - $14.53 million

26. San Jose Earthquakes - $13.63 million

27. Real Salt Lake - $13.6 million

28. CF Montréal - $12.05 million

29. St. Louis City - $11.79 million

- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent